Heller wins Nevada GOP primary; Laxalt is pick for governor

Tuesday

U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, the only GOP senator seeking re-election in a state won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, easily won his primary race Tuesday.

LAS VEGAS — Nevada Republicans made primary night easy, sending U.S. Sen. Dean Heller into a tough battle to save his seat and putting Attorney General Adam Laxalt on the November ballot for governor.

The toughest choice for Democrats was a close battle between Clark County Commission colleagues Steve Sisolak and Christina Giunchigliani — each hoping to be Nevada's first Democratic governor in two decades.

Heller, the only GOP senator seeking re-election in a state won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, easily won his primary race Tuesday. He was originally expected to face a tough challenge from Republican Danny Tarkanian until Trump asked him to run for Congress instead.

Heller will face in Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen in November. Rosen also easily won her primary race Tuesday after besting five other candidates.

"The choice this November could not be starker," Heller said in a statement. He added that, "While we've been fighting and delivering for Nevada, the only thing Jacky Rosen has done since getting to Congress is seek a promotion. In Nevada, we call that swampy.

Rosen said representing Nevada in Congress "has been the honor of my life, and I look forward to continuing this service as Nevada's next Senator."

She said in a statement that Heller "has spent the last year letting Nevadans down by breaking his promises to protect our health care, passing a fiscally irresponsible tax bill to benefit his super-wealthy donors, and failing our Dreamers to placate his party's leaders."

On the governor's race, two longtime Democratic voters in Sparks, both 67, parted ways.

Medical technician Pamela Jones said she voted for Sisolak because he seemed more honest. Retired AT&T worker Debora Lee said she went for Giunchigliani because she liked her record in the state legislature.

Both candidates have pledged to stand up to Trump and the National Rifle Association.

Sisolak, 64, is chair of the powerful governing body for Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Strip and about two-thirds of the state's residents.

But Giunchigliani paints Sisolak as too moderate and has knocked him for receiving an "A-" minus rating from the National Rifle Association in 2012.

Giunchigliani, who goes by "Chris G," is a 63-year-old former state legislator and teacher. She's earned backing from the women's group Emily's List and on Sunday picked up an endorsement from Hillary Clinton.

Interest in the race pushed voter turnout by Tuesday afternoon to a higher level than the 2016 Nevada primary, according to Nevada Deputy Secretary of State for Elections Wayne Thorley.

The winner of the Democratic race will face Laxalt in November. He's a former lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, the grandson of former U.S. Sen. and Nevada Gov. Paul Laxalt and son of former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico.

Trump endorsed Laxalt, who handily won the GOP primary.

Wes Elliott, 70, said he voted for Laxalt because he likes the candidate's character and the fact he's a military veteran.

Another key Trump supporter, Tarkanian, is favored in the Republican race for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District. It is one of two swing seats in Nevada that Democrats are hoping to hold while they make gains elsewhere to win control of the U.S. House.

Tarkanian, the son of former University of Nevada Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, has run unsuccessfully for several offices over the past decade. If he prevails, he'll face wealthy Democratic philanthropist Susie Lee in the general election. Lee defeated six opponents in her primary.

Primary contests for Nevada's other swing district, the 4th Congressional District, are expected to produce a November rematch of two former congressmen, Democrat Steven Horsford and Republican Cresent Hardy. Horsford held the Democratic-leaning seat for one term before losing in 2014 to Hardy. Hardy then lost in 2016 to Democrat Ruben Kihuen, who is not seeking re-election after several women accused him of sexual misconduct.

Voters will also settle about 30 primary battles for state legislative seats. One of those races in Nye County pits incumbent Assembly member James Oscarson of Pahrump against Nevada's most famous pimp, Dennis Hof.

Hof, who starred in the HBO adult reality series "Cathouse," owns half a dozen brothels that could be threatened this year under proposals to ban such businesses in two of the state's seven counties where they're legally operating.

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